Month: December 2015

Brewelist Advent Calendar Day 5: Stone Brewing Co. Enjoy by 12.25.15

Admittedly I hated IPAs (India Pale Ales) for a long time. I felt they tasted like turpentine (seriously, don’t ask how I know what turpentine tastes like).

I didn’t understand the hype. Craft beer aficionados rant and rave about them and Pliny the Younger and Pliny the Elder are treated like the Holy Grail of IPAs.

I’ve become more accepting of them in no small part to the efforts of Stone Brewing Co out of San Diego, CA, and soon to be out of my home city of Richmond, VA.

Enjoy by 12.25.15 is part of their effort to show what a difference fresh beer makes. We’ve all accidentally bought that stale six pack. We’ve all had that awful beer. They’re trying to change that by making a large statement about when the beverage should be enjoyed by.

I had the Enjoy By 10.31.15 (admittedly a week late) but it was a well executed batch of flavors.

Its Christmas cousin is no different. It’s hoppy, yes, but the citrus and pine notes don’t beat you over the head. The clear, crisp amber color of the beer is inviting and familiar.

As the name implies, you won’t want to wait on this one.

Where to find it: Wegmans, Beer Shops, anywhere fine Stone beers are sold

ABV: 9.4%

Style: India Pale Ale

Availability: Limited

Taste/Smell: Citrus and Pine, tastes hoppy but mellow enough to be enjoyable

Rating (out of 10): 9/10

JackieLeave a comment

Brewelist Advent Calendar Day 4: Southern Tier Choklat from Southern Tier Brewing Company

I don’t think I’ve ever had an offering from Southern Tier that I didn’t enjoy (although One Buffalo was probably close), and this especially goes for their seasonal beers. Choklat lives up to it’s namesake, which you’ll realize before it ever passes your lips.
While pouring into the glass, the rich aroma of chocolate (more dark chocolate than milk chocolate) wafts into the air and gives you an idea of what is to come. The beer is smooth in the mouth, and while the taste of chocolate is strong, it doesn’t detract from the beer. That being said, it is heavier (and 10% ABV), so you’re only going to want one or two glasses.
Paul

@Hawknight

Where to find it: Wegmans

ABV: 10%

Style: Imperial Stout brewed with Chocolate

Availability: November Release

Taste/Smell: Chocolate

Rating (out of 10): 8/10

JackieLeave a comment

Brewelist Advent Calendar Day 3: CB Joe Latté Vanilla Coffee Stout from CB Craft Brewers

 

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The Joe Latté Vanilla Coffee Stout by CB Brewery of Honeoye Falls, New York is a beer that takes you to Christmas and other seasonal get-togethers where coffee is served later in the evening with dessert.  My initial impression was the balanced coffee and vanilla taste and the smooth creamy texture.  This beer is not bitter and I almost forget that I am drinking beer in the first place.  The color is dark due to it being milk stout and the dark malt makes a perfect complement to the vanilla flavor.  The beer has a sweet taste as well.  

I give the Joe Latté Vanilla Coffee Stout 9 out of 10 for the perfect balance of flavor and texture. I definitely recommend it if you can find it for your seasonal parties.

Where to find it: Western New York Wegmans and most supermarkets; Beers of the World; CB Craft Brewers in Honeoye Falls.

ABV: 5.5%

Style: Coffee Stout

Availability: Seasonal

Taste/Smell: Coffee and Vanilla flavors and smells, dark color

Rating: 9/10

Sean Peters
@seanfinity

JackieLeave a comment

Brewelist Advent Calendar Day 2: Jack-O-Lantic Pumpkin Stout from Lost Borough Brewing

The Lost Borough Brewing Company has excelled in putting out Pumpkin tasting beers. Much like their Pumpkin Ale, this beer has actual pumpkin inside of it and you can really taste it. It’s a darker and heavier beer and it goes down smooth. If you’re a pumpkin enthusiast, this is the beer for you. Just make sure you catch it at the right time, this beer sells out fast!

Where to find it: Lost Borough Brewing Company, Rochester NY

ABV: 6.6%

Style: Pumpkin/Yam Beer

Availability: Seasonal

Taste/Smell: Smells like pumpkin and tastes like Fall.

Rating (out of 10): 9/10

Casey BowkerLeave a comment

Brewelist Advent Calendar Day 1: Indiebox and Freedom Planet

Welcome to Brewelist’s first-annual Advent Calendar. From now until December 25th, we’ll be bringing you beers, video games and other glad tidings each day. Nothing is sponsored and our reviews are our opinions solely. Unless otherwise noted, these were also purchased with our own funds.

Want to get into the subscription box craze but beauty products or razors aren’t your cup of tea?

Do you like the convenience of digital indie games but lament the lack of a physical box?

Is there a gamer in your life that you want to give the gift of gaming but need something more personal?

Indiebox may be the answer.

the-box

The subscription service sends you an indie video game and assorted extras every month. Games must meet these criteria (from their website):

  • The game must support Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux platforms
  • The game must have a score of 75 or better on Steam and/or a rating of 8.0 or better on IndieDB.
  • The game must have been released no more than 6 months from the time that we initially contact them. We do this because we have to find the best time to feature a specific game and/or have enough time to work with busy developers.

This guarantees you’ll get a game that’s good, recent and able to be played on your non-console platform. The boxes are $19.99 on a month-to-month subscription not inclusive of shipping. Gift subscriptions are available if you want to give the gift of indie games or want to try it out without it auto-renewing. Boxes are discounted if you are looking to order multiple months up front.

The November 2015 box featured Freedom Planet, a game that is stylistically very similar to the classic Sonic games of the SEGA Genesis era. Make no mistake, it is no clone of the speedy hedgehog and Freedom Planet has been lauded by players for the gameplay, as well as the soundtrack, which is included.

The box itself comes with a sealed package. If you’re a collector and hoarding mint-condition packaging is your thing, they do put the Steam key in the back of the box so you can leave your precious loot intact but still be able to play the game.

My Freedom Planet package included the USB stick, CDs of the Soundtrack, a Collectible Coin, several stickers, a wallet and a curious stone in a leather pouch. All of these items were well packaged and seem to be of very good quality.

The game retails on Steam for $14.99 when not on sale and the value of the items well exceed the cost of the box.

Previous boxes have included custom controllers, accessories and other tidbits. While supplies last, previous boxes are available for sale on their site as well, so if you missed Freedom Planet, you may still be able to get your hands on it.

Jackie1 Comment